Eucalyptus evergreen tree has about a hundred species. The most famous are: rainbow, spherical, large and regal, growing to 100 meters. Eucalyptus trees grow in Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. They have the property of retaining moisture by turning the leaves edge to sunlight.
The leaves of the eucalyptus tree have high healing properties, they also serve as food for the Australian marsupial – koala.
Description of Eucalyptus
These amazing trees have many unusual properties. So on one tree, on different branches, leaves of various shapes grow. On the young branches are soft leaves of a bluish color, rounded in shape, covered with a wax layer. Older branches have hard, oblong leaves. What does these leaves behave in an unusual way. They are always turned edge to the sun. Therefore, it is not surprising that a large tree, seemingly with a powerful crown, gives little shade. Thanks to this ability, eucalyptus can retain moisture absorbed in itself for a long time. And he takes a lot of moisture, it is a real water pump. One such tree during the day is able to absorb more than 300 liters of moisture. And over the year, this water drinker drinks over 100 tons of water. Because of these properties, this tree is often used in land reclamation.
Eucalyptus is an evergreen, but once a year it changes bark. After a hot summer, in March, the bark that has dried out over the summer becomes brown, it bubbles away from the wood of the trunk, collapses and falls to the ground with rags. After that, its trunk becomes smooth and gleams with various colors of the rainbow. Depending on the species, after the “Coropad”, the eucalyptus stems can be white, green, yellow, blue and red. This type is called rainbow eucalyptus.
Eucalyptus forests are places of residence of very cute animals – koala. They feed exclusively on the leaves of this tree. It is known that its leaves are poisonous enough, because they contain hydrocyanic acid. But it turns out that this poison has almost no effect on the koala. Then they are experts on eucalyptus trees and choose different types of trees in different seasons, while they contain hydrocyanic acid in a minimum amount. Well, then the koala is, in fact, a bear, albeit a marsupial. So he does not care.
In the fourth, fifth year of life eucalyptus blooms. And it blooms very peculiar. First, on a single pedicel, a rigid round-shaped box appears, at the end of which there is a bottom. As it grows, the box increases in size and stiffens. Then the bottom falls off and a magnificent flower brush consisting of hair stamens appears from the box. Different types of flowers of different colors: white, yellow, pink and bright red. Flowers have a light pleasant aroma (also, check Interesting facts about Victoria).
After flowering in place of the flower fruits are formed. In different types of eucalyptus fruits differ in shape, but most often they are similar to small bells, but closed from the bottom, In these bells are seeds. The seeds ripen for a long time, a whole year, but can last several years.
Where does eucalyptus grow?
Of the huge number of trees growing on the ground, several species are striking in their huge size, their height reaches 100 meters or more. One of these “green giants” can rightly be considered eucalyptus.
The birthplace of this interesting plant is Australia. At home, this evergreen tree has more than a hundred species. Australia is a large continent and it has almost all climatic zones, and each zone has its own eucalyptus trees.
This is a low-growing shrub growing in the arid climate of the desert regions of Central Australia, these are clumsy ugly-looking trees in mountainous areas, and they are huge, giant, regal and spherical types of eucalyptus that can live only in the humid subtropical climate. These stately trees, with perfectly even trunks and gorgeous crowns, are truly a miracle of nature.
Eucalyptus is a very fast growing tree. In one year alone, this tree grows almost 5 meters. At what it grows both in height and in breadth. Of course, competing in height with the American redwood, the largest tree on earth today, eucalyptus difficult. In California, USA. sequoia grows with the name Hyperion, whose height, according to 2006 data, is 115.61 m. But nevertheless, in Australian Tasmania there is an eucalyptus whose height is 92 m.
Healing properties
People have long noticed that it is very easy to breathe in eucalyptus forests. This is due to the fact that eucalyptus leaves emit volatile phytoncides, a kind of volatile antibiotics that are composed of organic substances with a strong antimicrobial effect. Phytoncides secreted by the leaves have a positive effect primarily on the respiratory organs, they give people vigor and health. It was found out experimentally that the main components with healing properties are essential oils containing in leaves and young shoots. These medicinal properties have been actively used and now eucalyptus oil is used in the composition of various drugs such as: pectusin, ingalipt, efkamon, inhakamf, as well as various aerosols and cough tablets. In addition, the leaves are harvested and sold in pharmacies for making tinctures and decoctions at home. Probably there is no such person who would not have experienced the healing properties of inhalation of eucalyptus with colds.
Quite often with colds in the baths use eucalyptus brooms. This is a very effective tool that helps very often with one time. If you have a sore throat or a runny nose, hold the broom steamed enough and hold it on your face and breathe in for 4-5 minutes. It is not very convenient to cuddle with such a broom, the leaves are long and the branches are thin. Better to twist eucalyptus twigs in a birch or oak broom.
Although it has been proved in practice that eucalyptus preparations have practically no side effects and contraindications, in some cases allergic reactions or individual hypersensitivity may occur. Very rarely, skin irritation may occur.
Therefore, before starting treatment, it is better to check the individual sensitivity to this remedy. In addition, it is not advisable to use eucalyptus drugs inside children under the age of 2 years, as well as adults with impaired renal function and liver, with bronchial asthma, and bronchospasm. It is better to refrain from their use for children with whooping cough. In pregnancy, these drugs should be used with extreme caution. It is advisable to first consult an aromatherapist.
Essential eucalyptus oils are very widely used in the perfume industry. They contain in their composition aromatic substances such as: citronellal, limonene and geraniol, which have very pleasant smells. With their help, resistant aromas of rose, lemon and many others are easily reproduced. These cosmetics are absolutely harmless and are constantly very popular. Detergents: soap, scrubs, shampoos, gels with eucalyptus extract are an excellent remedy for many problems with the scalp. And shampoo-creams with a detox effect practically cleanse the hair of any impurities, including tobacco smoke.
Eucalyptus seeds propagate by seeds, naturally carried by the wind. But for many years they have not been grown anywhere, but where a person needs it. These are mainly resort areas. And not only in Australia, but in many countries of the world. Artificially planted eucalyptus groves create an excellent recreational environment. And in a compartment with the sea air, staying in such places gives the maximum health-improving effect for holidaymakers. Such groves can be successfully used for other purposes. For example, several such artificial forests were planted in Israel to protect against frequent shelling from Palestine. They grew very quickly and became a real green protective wall.
Well, at home in our climatic zone, eucalyptus trees are grown mainly in winter gardens, in extreme cases, just in a big pot like any other home plants. Usually in any flower shops you can buy either seeds or ready-made seedlings. Having transplanted them into flowerpots, you can create a real paradise with a healing slant in your apartment or house.
Thanks to the secreted phytoncides, your home will always have the cleanest healing air, and will always have on hand fresh eucalyptus leaves that can be useful for rinsing or inhalation. In addition, the smell of eucalyptus can not tolerate either flies or ants. Special care eucalyptus growing in the house, does not require, and it looks quite nice.
